This application claims the priority of German application 197 24 150.6, filed in Germany Jun. 7, 1997, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a warp beam coupling for connecting a warp beam having a warp beam tube with a weaving loom. Preferred embodiments of the invention provide a bearing bell which is rotatably driven by a warp beam drive and is disposed in a warp beam bearing and has a coupling flange which can be connected with a coupling flange on the warp beam tube.
It is an object of the warp beam coupling to detachably connect the warp beam drive with the warp beam or the warp beam tube and ensure the force transmission from the drive to the warp beam tube.
In a known manner, the warp beam coupling consists, for example, of a shaft which is flanged to one end of the warp beam tube and which carries a warp beam gear wheel which, in turn, meshes with a driving pinion of a driving motor. This type of coupling has the advantage that a highly loadable and playfree force transmission from the drive to the warp beam tube is achieved. It is a disadvantage that, when the warp beam is exchanged, the flange connection between the warp beam tube and the drive shaft, which is usually secured by screws, must be disconnected which requires relatively large expenditures of time and does not exclude a faulty tightening of the screws during the recoupling.
For this reason, the so-called "EURO"-coupling was developed which has a coupling shaft which has a polygonal cross-section and can be caused to engage with an assigned receiving device on the face of the warp beam tube.
In this case, it is an advantage that, for opening up the connection, usually only one securing screw must be unscrewed and the coupling shaft can then easily be pulled out of the receiving device of the warp beam tube. Disadvantages are the limited loadability of the polygonal shaft as well as a relatively large play between the shaft and the shaft receiving device which, on the one hand, results in irregularities of the wovens and, on the other hand, leads to a premature wearing-out of the coupling parts.
It is an object of the invention to further develop a warp beam coupling for the driving connection between the warp beam tube and the warp beam drive such that, on the one hand, a force transmission is achieved which is as highly loadable as possible and has no play and, on the other hand, a fast opening up and reestablishing of the driving connection between the warp beam drive and the warp beam is permitted.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing a warp beam coupling of the above-mentioned general type, wherein the coupling flanges are each provided with a serration, wherein an adjusting device is provided on the bearing bell to selectively engage and disengage the serration of the coupling flange of the bearing bell and the serration of the coupling flange of the warp beam tube, and wherein the bearing bell also accommodates tensioning devices for bracing the coupling flanges which are engaging with one another.
It is an important feature of the invention that the force transmission takes place from the warp beam drive to the warp beam tube of the warp beam by means of one coupling flange respectively which coupling flanges are provided with a serration (Hirth serration) which ensures a form-locking connection with the coupling of the coupling flanges.
The coupling flanges are braced with respect to one another by means of suitable devices.
In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the throwing into and out of gear takes place manually, in which case the two coupling flanges are braced with one another against a disengagement by means of a single tensioning screw.
In other preferred embodiments of the invention, it is provided that the engagement and disengagement of the coupling flanges takes place automatically, for example, by means of pneumatic or hydraulic devices, in which case the coupling flanges are guided together by means of hydraulically or pneumatically operated devices and are mechanically braced with one another.
The invention has the following advantages:
The coupling and bracing takes place according to a largely defined sequence manually or automatically so that operating faults which result in an improper coupling can for the most part be avoided. PA1 By means of the serrated coupling flanges, a playfree connection is established between the warp beam and the warp beam drive, in which case the Hirth serration results in an automatic centering, that is, an axial alignment of the warp beam with respect to the warp beam drive. The serration permits a very high torque to be transmitted which in the state of the art is achieved only by means of the known screwed flange connection. PA1 After the coupling and bracing, no axial forces act upon the warp beam. The static bearings of the warp beam are protected.